The next evening all villagers gathered on the central plaza. In front of a huge stone. Elize and I were kneeling with our heads lowered, lost in deep contemplation. It has been over an hour since the moment we took this stance. Right now my legs were pulsating with deep, dull pain, begging me to get up.

But, it was part of the ritual. The sun was setting down, illuminating the village in blood-red light, only then, the elder priest left the temple of the Three and started approaching us in slow, sophisticated tempo. In his right hand, he was holding a chalice, in left a vessel with incense. Every three steps he would stop for a moment and let the thick smoke cover the place.

- “What is life! You ought to know!” He yelled with all the strength he had in lungs

- “A moment of blessing upon this world!” everyone gathered chanted back in unison

- “What comes next you are aware!” the priest kept on yelling

- “The divine light, so pure and bare!”

Eventually, the “word-bringer” took his place between us and the stone, putting the incense aside and chalice atop of the Stone of the Oaths before facing us and laying his hands on our shoulders.

- “My children. My friends. My sons and daughters in faith, my faithful companions with whom I share my life in this village. We have gathered here between night and day, on the ground that belongs to the Mothers, to witness a miracle. The miracle of love. The miracle of life. These two, young souls, decided to dedicate themselves to one another! These two decided to honor the ancient tradition and swear on the stone, that as long as they draw breath, as long as their bodies wouldn’t return to soil and spirit to light, they shall become one! One it two bodies! One spirit! One mind! One love!”

He stopped for a moment to look above us at the horizon, checking the position of the sun.

- “My precious kids. You were left to kneel before the Stone of the Oaths. On this cold ground, you were forced to stay by each other’s side. You were left – to think. To consider. May the pain in your bones by a symbol of hardships of life. May the coldness of wind be a symbol of famine and misfortune. Having nothing but one another’s warmth on your side, did you withstand these hardships!?”

- “I did, father.” Liz said without raising her head

- “I did, father.” I barely managed to spit those words, not because of pain, but because of pure stress.

My palms become sweaty and I felt as if my guts decided to tie a knot. I could barely breathe because of dryness in my throat, yet at the same time, I couldn’t even swallow my own saliva.

- “The Oath of the Stone is not something to take lightly. For the Stone is just a representation of something different. Something greater. The Oath is signed not with your names, but with your souls, and is written not on the stone as a material, but in the Halls of the Divine, and even if the stone itself would break, your oath shall never be erased. Not even after the Oath would lose its power. Not even after your death, nor even after the Twilight of the Gods. Do you wish to proceed?”

- “Yes, father.” Liz voiced changed. The knowledge that I wasn’t the only one losing my mind was actually quite a relief.

- “Yes, father.” I somehow managed to follow.

Once again priest looked at the sky.

- “So now, as the sun is dying on the horizon, creating a bridge between night and day, on the land of Mothers, in the presence of the Three! Make your oath!”

It was time. After an hour of kneeling holding our heads down, we were allowed to look at each other…

… and for the Three. She was… so beautiful.

- “Asteruse…” her long, dark hair, so contrasting with her pure, white skin, and blood-red lips were now dancing gently on the wind “…I Elize, the Nameless, am offering myself to you. My heart and my soul shall be yours and only yours, till our hearts beat, till our lungs draw breath, till our bodies are still warm. Taking the Three as my witnesses, I pledge.”

Something changed. In the stone, I could swear it started emitting deep, blue afterglow, though no one except for two of us seemed to notice it.

The priest took the chalice off the Stone and raise it high above his and our heads.

- “Elize…” was speaking always so hard?! “… I, Asteruse, the Nameless, am offering myself to you. My heart and my soul shall be yours and only yours, till our hearts beat, till our lungs draw breath, till our bodies are still warm. Taking the Three as my witnesses, I pledge.”

It no longer was just an afterglow, but almost a blinding light which completely eradicated the natural light of the sun.

- “Just as the Three became one, so now shall you. Asteruse, Elize, drinking from this chalice, you shall become one with goddesses, and through the goddesses, with each other.”

He handed a simple vessel to Elize, letting her drink some of the wine first, after taking just a few gulps, she passed the vessel back to me.

Alcohol was light and sweet. Everything we faced here was supposed to be a lesson. If after spending this time in cold and pain we would manage to stay together we would be rewarded with the sweetness of love.

After drinking, I handed the chalice back to Liz, yet as my hands were shaking uncontrollably I almost spilled the remaining liquid. My fiancé managed to catch my hand and the chalice in the very last moment, and now having her hands on mine I noticed, that her palms were trembling just like mine.

That was so… clumsy, and awkward, and pure that both of us couldn’t stop from giggling a little.

She bottomed the alcohol that remained in the vessel and for the last time, she offered it to me.

We both grabbed the vessel looking deep into each other’s eyes.

And then, for us, everything changed.

The Stone “exploded”, turning into symbols made of blue light. These symbols kept on creating complex structures crossing, joining, twisting together. Knowledge of what we were looking at came out of nowhere. All these symbols were Oaths. They were flashing, changing, showing but scraps of information of what they contained. Oaths just like ours, marriages of millions of beings, were sparkling with deep blue light, still valid and strong as both sides of Oath were still fulfilling their roles, there were countless of white ones, peaceful, sleeping, these were fulfilled or lost their power in time. And there were few pulsating with blood-like red. Oaths that were broken. These words were impure, corrupted, looking, and smelling, like a rotten corpse. And many, many others, lying dormant somewhere deeper. Oaths of vengeance. Oaths to repay the debts. Oaths, that one would accomplish a challenge.

And in the empty place in this endless vortex, a two new words appeared. They danced, and twisted, and rested together bursting into the same bluish light.

Looking at it gave me such a soothing feeling.

It was my Oath, our Oath.

- “So pretty…” This voice didn’t belong to any of us.

In the vortex of symbols, something emerged. A being, made of runes similar to Oaths, yet at the same time so very different.

- “Words are powerful. Words formed and shaped this world. Words are bound to have meaning. Nothing saddens us as much as lies. Words deprived of meaning. Words which are misleading and serving ill deeds.”

This creature was so…. Terrifying, yet calming. So proud, yet humble. The desire to hug it was fighting within me with the urge to run away.

Is she…?

- “My sisters and I are all regretting the day when we taught mortals too many things. On that day, you started to learn on your own. We showed you how to create, yet your creation started destruction. We showed you how to love, yet through your love, you started hating. We taught you the words…. And since that day you started lying. This is why we made these..." she pointed on the Oaths "...to remind you that everything comes from the Truth. And to Truth, you are bound. I am blessing thy, who had the courage to swear the Oath of Truth. May these marks forever remind you, that your Words shall forever be remembered and never shall be forgotten… and lies never forgiven.”

The very next thing that happened was both of us waking up at the same time, under the Stone of Oaths, in the center of the village.

- “Good day, my beloved future wife!” I yelled loudly across the inn entrance “… is there anything I can help you with?”

- “Good day to you as well, my future husband, no, we are fine, find yourself a seat – I will come to you in a minute!”

Two days passed since the ceremony. Apparently we fainted after drinking from the chalice as the stone started emitting the light. Shortly after that, our names appeared on the Oath Stone, yet vanished shortly after leaving the stone’s surface as smooth as ever. After that, we were carried to our houses.

Since that day pretty much nothing changed, except for one tiny detail. On our ring fingers, a small black mark appeared resembling in shape… well, a ring. Our Oath-mark. And both of us were acting somewhat silly ever since as if we were still somewhat drunk with the pleasure of that night.

- “They are still like that…” one of the older tavern patrons rolled his eyes.

- “So what? They are young and truly happy! To have this much joy thinking about the time they are going to spend together, how can this purity be disturbing to you!” Priest Sebas, also calming down with a beer in hand, talked back to the grumpy man.

- “Just tell them to be happy somewhere else! Or better, tell Aster to grow up and develop crippling depression and fall into alcoholism like a real man, and not spreading this whole… love, all around the place!” old drunkard spat the word as if it was some kind of insult.

Even though remarks of quite a few villagers were rather sarcastic, there was not but a single person that wouldn’t be cheering for our happiness, I simply knew that - in the end I lived them with for the past twenty years.

I sat down close to the bar counter watching Liz work, dancing between tables serving beverages.

After noticing me, Jagna took the plates off her daughter's hands and pointed at me with her head.

- “Take a break, silly goat, your buck is here… actually take these with yourself.” And then she handed her two mugs of beers.

Liz kissed her mother on the cheek before rushing toward me, almost spilling the content.

- “How was your day?” she asked right away sitting by my side.

- “It looked just as your evening – busy. There was lots of work. Ol’ Jannet is getting weaker, so I was helping her and her family with basic stuff, you know, bringing water from well, fixing the fence. Basic stuff.”

- “And you spend lots of time with her daughter, Patricia, didn’t you?”

- “Obviously, she was the one showing me where my assistance was needed, and, to be honest, there was quite a lot of it…. Thought most of the things weren’t THAT urgent.”

- “That vixen just wanted to steal as much of your time as it was only possible… You may not know it, but she had a crush on you.”

- “I totally did know that.”

- “Really?... Wait! REALLY!? And you still hang with her for so long!?” she pouted

- “Do you really care?” I asked tilting my head to the side

- “No. Not really. In the end, you are already mine!”

She pushed her chair closer to me and forced her head on my shoulder making me hug her before grabbing my marked finger with both hands and holding it like a treasure.

Do you remember when I said nothing changed since that night? That… could not exactly be true. We used to be a bit shyer. Well, everyone knew we were “unofficial couple”, yet only our parents knew about our marriage plans before my birthday. But, since that night some of our social barriers were somewhat “erased”.

We literally yarned for one another closeness, for feeling each other’s heat on the body. To spend one more additional moment together.

- “… after that I spend some time with ol’ Jonson.”

- “Sword training again? I would prefer if you wouldn’t learn it.”

- “Why? You can never have too many skills, especially those life-saving ones. If bandits would attack us they would surely go for the most beautiful woman in the village! In such a situation I would have to protect you!”

She burst into cheerful laughter.

- “Aster, you are already grown-up man, yet you are still dreaming about becoming a hero? What’s next? Picking a wooden sword and chasing imaginary dragons across the forest as if we were six years old again?”

I was about to answer her with a really cheesy line, when the door to the inn was slammed open, making it hit the wall with a loud noise of wood hitting wood. I knew it was a stranger without even looking in that direction – every villager was aware that the door was old and damaged and everyone was treating them quite carefully – even the drunks (the reason for that was Jagna – facing her wrath could sober you up within seconds).

Our village was quite far from the main trading routes, so we weren’t visited by merchants that often. Twisting my head I tried taking a peek at the person that was about to be yelled by Jagna with her usual “THIS IS AN INN, NOT A BARN! DON’T YOU DARE SLAMMING MY DOOR, YOU DUMB SON OF A GOAT”, yet none of that could be heard.

Into the tavern a man walked in, wearing armor under traveling clothes, his cloak had patches resembling colors of our local lord. After him, few more men followed.

Lord’s Diederik soldiers? Here? They had no reason to come to our village, we didn’t call for help and all of our taxes were paid.

After guards, a young man with short, nicely cut hair followed inside, at the very end four men with bows decided to crowd the inn. Eleven men in total. They quickly asked one of the girls working as waitresses to prepare for them a few tables.

Good, that means that they didn’t come to start havoc.

- “Anyone knows where village chief is?” the asked.

- “Fun time is over…” I exhaled air with sad expression getting up from the chair.

- “Yeah, I will go back to help my mother. She will surely need the second pair of hands.” Liz went back behind the counter as I started heading toward the group.

- “My lord, I am the chief’s son. Father left the city to sell our crops, I will try doing my best do serve you in his place.” I said putting my right hand on my heart and bowing my head deeply – the way that servant greets a noble.

- “What manners! And I was told that villagers know no etiquette!” There was no malice in his voice, quite the opposite.

- “I am afraid so, my lord, this is why I already wish to beg for your forgiveness - if one of my people would behave in a rude way, I assure you that they have no ill intentions and are just lacking refinement.”

- “I will be sure to remember that. We came to hunt in the forest, north of your village, so we will be staying for a few days, maybe week or two.”

The forests were lord's possession, as well as every animal living inside. Normally, you would have to ask for permission to hunt, but, Lord Diederik allowed us to hunt freely – as long as we were not overdoing it. In the end, furs were worth quite a lot. We were allowed to cover our needs, but if we were about to start selling it, our good relations with our Lord would surely suffer.

- “Certainly, my lord, I will take care of your accommodations. You can either sleep here, at the higher floor of the inn – though it’s rather loudly and you would get barely any sleep at nights, or I could offer you some of our best houses, of course, mine included.”

- “Fear not, we also love to drink and rejoice at nights, so we would gladly stay here…”

- “… Indeed, I believe that close access to barrels of beverage is one of the assets that my house does not possess.”

I allowed myself for a light joke, hoping that it wouldn’t be mistaken for insolence. Fortunately, it wasn’t. The group laughed cheerfully.

- “Just as you say, my witty friend, it’s just as you say!” I was patted on the shoulder by one of the guards – a huge man with an equally huge mustache.

- “If you would need my help again my lord, please, ask for Asteruse, I will come as soon as possible…”

- “Your name is Asteruse?”

- “Yes, Aster for short.”

- “Who would dare to call a villager with the name of sacred…” young noble was surely surprised “…Wait, wait, wait! I know you! Your father saved the king’s life! I know this story! His majesty repeats it every time when he wants to annoy us – that he can rely on a mere villager more than on us, nobles…”

- “I was also said this story far too many times… well, not the part with king yelling at you, obviously, the other one.”

- “Very well, Asteruse, it’s a pleasure to meet you, my name is Michael Diederik. Together with my men, we shall be in your care.”

So Lord’s son came to enjoy his youth and hunt in the woods? Forest can be dangerous, but with an escort of the guards and with skilled hunters on his side he should be more than just safe.

- “I am sorry to keep you waiting! Food will be served soon, in the meantime please enjoy your drinks, they should help you rest after your long, tiring journey!” Liz said putting huge beer cups on the table after her, few more waitresses did the same trying to honor our guests

Long and tiring journey my-ass. Lord’s mansion is less than a day from the village, and after taking a closer look at their condition and lack of dirtiness on their clothes, they were quite far from being exhausted.

- “My-my, my father said that this village is rich in many blessings, but I do not remember him listing you among them!” said Michael getting from his seat and bowing with courtesy toward Liz’

It was but an innocent compliment, still, it was enough to make my brow twitch.

- “My lord, you are far too generous in your words… thought maybe my future husband might use this opportunity and learn something from you.”

She smiled in my direction, and by doing that she warmed my heart. She didn’t mention me here to “flick my nose” or show me as a savage who doesn’t know how to address the lady, no! All she did was telling the noble and everyone who would want to hope for something more from their staying, that she was already taken.

- “I assure you, love, by serving Lord Michael I will have plenty of opportunities to learn, and I intend to use, and abuse, all of them.”

Corner of noble’s mouth twitched in surprise, he quickly noticed what she did and it surely amused him.

- “Liz’ my love, can you please keep our guests' company? I have to talk with your mother and help her prepare the rooms.”

- “I will do my best.” She said as I was leaving her, heading toward the counter where Jagna was already preparing a huge pot for her famous goulash.

- “Let me help you!” I yelled running toward her to pick a huge vessel off her hands and place it on the hook over the fireplace

- “And here I thought it would turn out into the peaceful evening.” She groaned

- “Then you will love what is coming next.”

- “Please don’t tell me they want to stay in here for the nights.”

- “Bingo.”

- “Shit.”

- “Fret not, I will help you as much as I can… mother!”

I waited a moment before saying the last word putting an extra accent on it. She hates when I called her this way. The next thing I knew was her “accidentally” stepping on my feet, and as she was wearing boots reinforced with iron, that hurt like a bitch.

- “You will never stop rubbing salt into my wounds, won’t ya?” she pouted, but in the end gladly accepted my help.

Did I mention that it’s quite rare for us to have visitors? Because of that Jagna was keeping only one or two rooms clean and ready to use, which meant the rest will require lots of…

I opened one of the doors leading inside the room

…. Cleaning.

…

As if staring into the heart of the darkness - horror, horror.

How could someone let anything anywhere get THIS dirty!? It would be easier to build a whole new inn than to clean one of those rooms…

I groaned, I pouted and I hissed, but eventually rolling up my sleeves I got ready for the work that needed to get done.

I am the next village head, some dust won’t scare me! Dirtiness, prepare yourself, here I come!

HUZAAH!

After cleaning just two rooms I was informed that the rest of the inn’s staff (and few volunteers that got “convinced” by Jagna) managed to clean the rest of the floor.

Feeling exhausted I managed to get back to the bar section of the inn, sitting by the counter.

Before I managed to even lay my ass on the chair Jagna pushed a cup in my direction.

- “Good job, and thank you. I would drop some cheesy lines, like: you eat on the house today… but, you already are.”

- “You have an incredible ability to annoy everyone that you are thanking to, Jagna.” I said with no malice

- “Obviously, I can’t let people think I like them! I have a reputation to maintain! Cheers…” she said hitting her cup with mine “… for a dumb buck and an annoying bitch!” she raised a toast

Liz approached us as we were in the middle of bottoming our cups.

- “Phew. Over, finally over…” she said more to herself than anyone else “… the noble company got somewhat drunk so I allowed myself to sneak out, I hope that girls can keep it from there…” she looked with a longing grimace at our cups, as if begging her mother for share. It didn’t take long before another cup appeared on the table.

- “So, silly goat, what did you learn?”

A bar owner should be the best-informed person in every village, and in city, seconds one – right after a hooker, that’s what Jagna kept on telling over and over again.

- “Apparently in the capital a new cult appeared, Church of the Three is hunting them for heresy.”

- “Oh, again? Not a first time group of tree-lovers decided to worship one of their spirits bit too much, and not the first time the church became crazy about it.”

- “It’s not the cult of lesser spirit. Its worshipers claim he is equal to the three…”

- “O-ho! Unorthodox approa… wait, did you say HE!?”

All goddesses are women, that’s the most common knowledge.

- “Yes, a man-god, and he is not good actually either. To be honest, he sounds more like a devil. Offer your life and play a gamble with him, and if you are lucky you would be given a new fate.”

- “Ha! I can only imagine how eager were the church’s henchmen! By the three, I just hope they won’t re-open the iron inquisition, that would be a disaster!”

- “What’s this new god’s name?” I asked

- “They didn’t tell.”

- “They didn’t know?”

- “No. They didn’t tell. They were referring to him either as The Wanderer or… here it comes… The Beast in Black. But even though those captured by the church claimed they knew his name, they refuse to say it, even after tortures. , they said.”

- “A new god equal to the three called Beast? Sounds like an invitation to the pyre.”

- “And here comes yet the best part…”

- “Don’t keep us waiting.”

- “Angels that were summoned in the capital’s cathedral didn’t want to speak about him.”

…

Ok. That’s serious stuff.

Priests, when they were after some cult they deemed harmful often performed a summoning on holy grounds to ask for directions. And angels always helped their worshipers – if the cult had evil roots and was indeed bringing harm to their people, that is.

Devils quite often tried popping out through the veil of reality and were trying to gather worshipers promising them powers asking for sacrifices or certain tasks in return.

But… if angels refused to help… Or even clarify then there is no god equal to the Three

- “… that was like… confirming it’s true.” Because the divine cannot lie.

- “And this is why capital is in a mess. Lord send his son away exactly for the reason to keep him away from all the uproars that would be happening in the nearest future.”

- “Smart by him, not gonna lie.” Jagna nodded her head a few times.

A new god? Tha! In times like this, it sucks to be a citizen of a big city. Because, when you live in the village, all these politics and god-stuff, and assassinations and coups avoided you far and wide. It’s always peaceful in here.

Or at least that’s what I thought back then.